Microsoft investigates attack of Petya encrypting virus

The malware blocks computers and prevents users from uploading an operating system

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MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/. Software giant Microsoft is investigating reports into Tuesday’s attack of the encrypting virus Petya, which attacked computers in various countries worldwide earlier in the day, a Microsoft spokeswoman told TASS.

"We are aware of the situation and are investigating it," she said.

The large-scale virus attack on oil, telecoms and financial companies in Russia and Ukraine was registered at about 2:00 p.m. Moscow time.

Costin Raiu, the global research and analysis head at the Russian web security company Kaspersky Lab, wrote in his Tweeter account on Tuesday that the ransomware that emerged on June 18 this year "has a fake Microsoft digital signature appended."

According to the preliminary data of the Group-IB internet security company, the virus has attacked about 80 organizations in Russia and Ukraine. The malware blocks computers and prevents users from uploading an operating system. The virus extorts a $300 ransom in bitcoins for the resumption of work and file-decrypting.